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DVD/Blu-ray Breakdown: October 11th, 2011

This week is void of any significant Blu-ray re-releases, but there are some great new releases hitting shelves. Comic book fans will get a special addition to their collection when Green Lantern releases on DVD and Blu-ray this Friday. In the meantime, a pair of comedies and a Terrence Malick drama also arrive on home video.

A few low-profile titles hit DVD and Blu-ray this week, some of which some of you will be interested in. A pair of summer movies, Indian Summer and Camp Nowhere hit Blu-ray in case you have a bit of nostalgia you're willing to invest in. Also on shelves are uber-indies like Terri and Beautiful Boy.

The following titles can now be found on DVD and Blu-ray.

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NEW RELEASES

Green Lantern (2D and 3D, releasing Friday) - The latest DC Comics character depicted on screen didn't exactly blow away audiences, barely making more than its $200 million production budget. Our own Kofi Outlaw was perturbed enough that he gave it 1.5 stars and called it "a failure of epic proportions."

The home video release isn't a vast improvement, but it does provide some very detailed bonus features that might make this worth a rental. It's tough to claim this DVD/Blu-ray is worth owning, but if you are a comic-book fan, you may as well grab a copy. The bonus features alone will keep you full of inside info. The Extended Cut isn't much better, but does provide nine extra minutes.

VERDICT: Rent it, unless you absolutely have to own every superhero movie.

The Tree of Life - The must-own title of the week is a rather polarizing film. Many were critical of Terrence Malick for not delivering a more direct story, but critics welcomed the enigmatic tale and the producers of the film open up on the production a bit more in our interview. The DVD/Blu-ray release is one of the most beautiful this year and deserves a place in your collection if you can handle the film itself.

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The visuals of Tree of Life are among the best this year and the Blu-ray transfers it brilliantly. The colors are vivid and the focus is sharp. But the sound design is where this release kicks in. A 7.1-surround mix brings out every nuance of the film, but really explodes out of the speakers during the creation sequence where the bass is put to the test and 'Preisner: Life: Lacrisoma - Day of Tears' explodes all around with fury. Unfortuantely though, the film remains rather enigmatic with limited special features.

Exploring the Tree of Life

VERDICT: Buy it, unless you can wait for an inevitable Criterion Collection release down the road.

Horrible Bosses - Critics seemed to enjoy Horrible Bosses, giving it above average reviews, but audiences loved it. The R-rated comedy made $209 million worldwide on just a $35 million budget. This was definitely the year of R-rated comedies, but this film's star-studded cast drew in audiences.

This "Totally Inappropriate Edition" offers a new 106-minute extended cut, which doesn't really do much more than input some deleted scenes into the actual film. As usual, they serve their purpose better in a standalone special feature section. But the new edition does add some raunchy jokes that might enhance the viewer's experience, should they need more than what was already offered.

My Least Favorite Career featurette

Surviving A Horrible Boss featurette

Being Mean Is So Much Fun featurette

Deleted scenes

Making of the Horrible Bosses soundtrack

VERDICT: Rent it.

Zookeeper - Kevin James brings his same ole' brand of comedy to home video with Zookeeper. It did relatively well at the box office, but was maligned by critics. Talking animals and bumbling Kevin James come to DVD and Blu-ray in a colorful transfer by the reliable people at Sony. The release comes with your typical array of special features, including a gag reel.

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Deleted Scenes

Laughing is Contagious

Bernie the Gorilla

The Cast of Zookeeper

Creating the Visual Effects

Behind the Stunts

The Furry Co-Stars

Be the Bear

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One playable Playstation 3 demo

VERDICT: Skip it.

Chuck- The complete fourth season comes to DVD and Blu-ray with over 1,000 minutes of the Chuck. The 24 episodes of season 4 come with a small selection of supplements, but the gag reel served as the funniest, albeit conventional, featurette.

Buy Hard: The Jeff and Lester Story : The 5-Episode Chronicle of Jeff and Lester’s Quest for an Elusive Video Game

The Top Secret Chuckipedia Interactive Experience

Declassified Scenes

Gag Reel

VERDICT: Rent it to catch up to season 5 by the October 28th premiere.

Bones - Seasons four and five are available on Blu-ray, and now the sixth season arrives on home video. All 23 episodes and bonus materials clock in a one minute over 1,000 and provide a decent look at the production with some special features.

Audio Commentary on "The Doctor and the Photo" and "The Blackout in the Blizzard" episodes

Extended cuts of "The Daredevil in the Mold" and "The Bikini in the Soup"

Featurette on the Visual Effects of Bones

Gag Reel

VERDICT: Rent it to catch up to season 7 by the November 3rd premiere.

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Next week the home video world returns to normal with an even selection of new releases and Blu-ray re-releases. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Batman: Year One highlight the week's releases, but plenty of other titles will be available. Amidst constant talk of a Crow remake, The Crow reaches Blu-ray along with other re-releases like Cape Fear and a movie-only release of The Goonies. Other releases include Bad Teacher, Red State, Monte Carlo and Page One: Inside the New York Times.

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Check back every Tuesday for the latest breakdowns of DVD and Blu-ray releases each week.